What do I need to do to kitten proof a room?

[Kareywood]

Hi. we found a 7 or 8 month old stray in our yard in April. No one claimed her so we kept her. Well, she turned out to be pregnant and she had 4 kittens on 5/24. They are now almost 6 weeks old and Are unbelievably cute! All are gaining weight steadily and are doing well. We will be keeping the mom and one or two of the kitties (all will be spayed/neutered as soon as they are ready/old enough). We are working with a cat rescue group who will place the other kittens for adoption. We will keep them until they are placed.

up until now, we have had them in a dog exercise pen. It’s 36 inches high. Well-one has found a way to climb out already! I guess it’s time to take the pen down and give them free access to the room.

I would love some suggestions on how to kitten proof the room to keep these 6 week 9ld kittens safe!
thanks!

 

[Kareywood]

Pic of the kittens

 

[LTS3]

Here's a TCS article:

13 Practical Ways to Kitten-Proof Your Home - TheCatSite

Kitten-proof your home with our comprehensive guide, designed to turn your space into a safe haven for your new pet. Discover priceless community insights and practical tips to help welcome your feline friend, while creating an exploration-friendly and hazard-free environment.

thecatsite.com

Basically think along the same lines as baby-proofing a home: no obviously dangerous objects lying around, put fragile objects away, remove or hide any electrical cords, put blind cords way out of reach (Command hooks work great and are removable), anything that looks like a fun toy (strings, rug fringes, shoelaces, etc) should be removed from the room if possible. If there are floor vents, make sure the covers are on securely so you won't have curious kittens exploring your home through the vents. A boring room with just the essential cat necessities is ideal but isn't always feasible in the home so you do what you have to do to keep curious kittens safe.

 

[Kareywood]

Thank you LTS3! Very helpful article. I do have a question about our cat tower. we already Had one cat when we found this stray and took her in. He has a cat tower that is 6 feet high. It’s in the room where we keep the kittens. should I remove that before the kittens run free in that room? Is that too high to be safe for them? Thanks!

 

[LTS3]

6 feet might be too high for a kitten. I'd remove the tree for now. When the kittens are older, maybe 12 weeks or so, you can put the tree back and watch them zoom up and down the tree and launch themselves off while chasing each other If you can, secure the tree to the wall with furniture safety straps so it doesn't topple over and potentially injure the kittens.

 

[Kareywood]

Thanks again, LTS3!! I will take the cat tower out of the kitten room and keep it out for the next 6 weeks or so.
We do have it strapped to the wall-our boy is about 12 pounds and not overweight!

 

[neely]

Here is another Article that I thought might have some helpful information especially once the kittens leave their safe room and start to explore their new environment: 10 Essential Cat Safety Rules You Need To Know – TheCatSite Articles

Thank you for rescuing mama cat and caring for her precious kittens.

 

[JulietteTruong]

Great advice above! I would add, that for kittens it’s pretty much impossible to overfeed. They are growing and need all the calories they can get. Definitely free feed—preferably wet—so they can eat anytime they want. Commercial wet food can be left out for a long time. I leave mines out for like 10 hours. It’s been cooked so it won’t go bad.